PHOENIX — The first prison sentence for someone associated with Arizona's ongoing Medicaid scandal has recently been announced.
Arielle Dix is the first defendant to be given a prison sentence for recent crimes associated with defrauding millions of dollars from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
Dix was sentenced this week to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to illegal control of an enterprise. The defendant has additionally been ordered to pay $3.8 million in restitution, the AG's Office announced on Nov. 20.
The defendant was involved in setting up fake clinics and falsifying patient records to ensure money would be allocated to these fraudulent entities.
Last year, state officials announced they suspended AHCCCS payments to several healthcare providers due to suspected fraud. The scheme reportedly involved entities overbilling AHCCCS for non-existent services.
“Make no mistake, criminals who defraud Arizona taxpayers and prey on vulnerable communities will be investigated and aggressively prosecuted by my office," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement.
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